Final Days of Ash Ketchum
by Harem Master123
Summary: Ash Ketchum was told that he would die before he turned eleven when he was still young. Ash grows up ignored by the other kids his age, but he keeps his love of pokemon. At ten, he starts his dream, to win the Indigo League before he dies! Ash/?
1. Chapter 1

AN I don't own Pokemon or any of the Pokedex information. They belong to Nintendo.

_Flashback 7 years_

_"I'm sorry Mrs. Ketchum, but your son has an unknown illness affecting his insides. We suspect that he will survive to his eleventh birthday," a doctor told Delia while Ash sat in a room next door. Delia bursted into tears as she grabbed the doctor's hands._

_"Isn't there anything you can do to help him?!" Delia asked them as she fell to the ground and covered her face with her hands. The doctor looked down at Delia with a sad face before she bent down to look into Delia's eyes._

_"I'm sorry Delia, but there really isn't anything we can do other than give him some medicine to keep him from coughing up too much blood everday," the doctor told her. Delia kept crying, but slowly nodded her head in understanding. Delia stood up, got the subscription for the medicine, and went to the room next door to tell everything to Ash. _

_There was a lot of crying that afternoon._  
><em>_<em>

_Flashback 5 years_

_Ash smiled as he ran through Route 1. He saw a group of Spearow who looked at him with a critical eye before he through some pokefood out to them. They chirped happily as they began eating it before looking up at Ash and nodding to him in a way to say 'We accept you kid'. Ash nodded back and kept running through the route before seeing the river. He jumped in and began swimming around happily._

_It was the anniversary of the doctor visit two years ago. It took Ash awhile to accept the truth, but after he did, he decided to spend everyday as if it was his last. He wanted to enjoy every second of it. He visited the route everyday after he turned five to meet and befriend pokemon. He became friends with the Pidgeys and Pidgeottos that lived here and was on neutral terms with the Spearows. The Rattatas loved him since he always brought them food._

_He also befriended the group of Magikarps that lived in the river that he was currently swimming in. He was happy he had so many pokemon friends because all of the human kids his age avoided him like the plague. They all thought he was contagious and they didn't want to get sick even though his disease wasn't contagious. The kids' parents had told their kids they couldn't get sick from Ash, but they didn't believe their parents and continued to ignore him. One girl tried to be his friend, but after a coughing fit that ended with him coughing up a lot of blood, she avoided him even worse than the other kids._

_Ash sighed sadly as he remembered this, allowing himself to sink under the water. He looked around under the water and saw two lights begin shining. He swam further down to get a better look when suddenly a large mouth opened and rushed at Ash. Ash closed his eyes and waited to get eaten. Suddenly he felt himself rising out of the water. He opened his eyes and looked around, shocked to see himself about 30 feet in the air._

_"RAHHHHH!" whatever he was on yelled out. He was then placed on the ground and looked up. A larger than normal red Gyarados was looking down at him. Ash was shocked to see this, but he was even more shocked to see that it wasn't rampaging which was something that he knew Gyaradoses do. He looked at it closer and saw a twinkle in its eye. "Magikarp?!" Ash yelled up to it. Gyarados nodded its head happily as it bent down and licked Ash. Ash giggled as he pushed Gyarados off._

_This Gyarados use to be a female gold Magikarp that was three times the size of a normal Magikarp. It seemed to have evolved into a fourty-two foot long Red Gyarados. Ash smiled as he rubbed her side making her coo in delight._

_After a few more hours of playing with her, Gyarados was out of the water and curled around Ash who was resting next to her. "So Gyarados do you want to join me on my journey in the future?" Ash asked her. He knew he wouldn't live that much longer, but he always wanted to be a pokemon trainer, and he was going to be one before he passed away as well as be the winner of the Indigo League. Ash was going to be the champion before he died._

_Gyarados didn't wait to answer as she wrapped Ash up with her body and nuzzled her head against his body making him giggle._  
><em>_<em>

_Present_

"Ash! Wake up! Today's the day you leave!" Delia yelled up to Ash's room. Delia sighed as she heard scrambling around in Ash's room before she went back to fixing breakfast. She really wasn't looking forward to this. Ash just turned ten yesterday, and the first thing he asked for was to go on a Pokemon journey. She was worried about Ash since he wasn't suppose to live past his eleventh birthday and she wouldn't even get to see him for most of this year.

Ash quickly ran downstairs in his traveling clothes **(His canon Kanto clothes)**. Ash fixed his hat into the right position and entered the kitchen. "Hi mom!" he yelled happily as he hugged her and sat down to begin eating. Delia smiled at her son before noticing something red coming out of the corner of his mouth.

"Ash! Have you been coughing up blood again?" Delia asked him with worry clear in her voice. Ash just chuckled nervously before looking down. She sighed to herself before setting their food down. Ash began to tear through his food as quickly as possible which caused his mom to giggle as she watched him.

"So Ash, what pokemon are you picking out?" Delia asked him. Ash just smiled at her before taking another bite out of his pancake.

"Well mom...I know there is two other kids who are starting their journey today so I was going to let them go first. I don't care about which pokemon I get because I'll become friends with any of them," he said happily as he finished his food and put his dishes in the sink. He ran back upstairs to get his backpack which he finished packing and ran out the door.

"I'll be back after I get my pokemon mom!" Ash yelled to her as he left. Delia just smiled before finishing her own food so she could clean the dishes and get some extra stuff for Ash that she was keeping as a surprise for him.

Ash continued running for about two minutes until he saw a car full of girls and Gary Oak walking out of the laboratory with a pokeball. Ash made sure not to be seen by Gary considering Gary was always the one who made fun of Ash for having no friends, being sick, etc. Ash disliked him greatly, but he didn't hate the kid. Gary lost his parents when he was young and had everything that he asked for given to him by Professor Oak which made him grow to be a spoiled brat. In truth, Ash felt sorry for him.

After watching Gary drive away with the girls, Ash headed on inside the laboratory. "Hey Professor Oak!" Ash yelled happily. Professor Oak looked over at Ash and smiled at him.

"Hello Ash my boy. You ready to begin your journey?" Oak asked him making Ash nod his head happily. Oak smiled as he gestured for Ash to follow him to the back. Ash walked after Oak and smiled at all of his assistants who smiled back at him. Ash saw a foreign pokemon sitting on a desk being examined by one of Oak's assistants.

The pokemon looked over at Ash and gave off a mischievous smile. "Professor Oak what pokemon is that?" Ash pointed at it. Oak looked over in the direction Ash was pointing and smiled as he saw it.

"Aw, that's a Rotom from the Sinnoh region. I caught it and brought it back to study. Rotoms are capable of possessing different appliances giving it different forms such as Heat Rotom and Wash Rotom plus three other forms. These pokemon are genderless as well, but something that we found out about this Rotom which made me want to study it even more is the fact that this pokemon is female which should be impossible," Oak explained to Ash who smiled at the Rotom. Rotom smiled back before letting the assistant continue examining it.

Ash continued following Professor Oak until they reached the pokemon decision room. He saw only one pokeball left making him smile as he picked it up and released the pokemon inside of it. "Char!" Charmander yelled as it appeared outside of the ball. It looked around and saw Ash who was bending down to be eye level with it.

"Why hello Charmander. I am Ash Ketchum and I am beginning my pokemon journey today. So I was wondering, how would you like to come along with me?" Ash asked it making it smile happily and jump into Ash's arms while happily yelling its name. Ash smiled as he patted its head while holding it in his arms.

Oak smiled at the scene before remembering something. He turned around and picked up his last pokedex. He knew Gary wasn't going to try and fill it up for him, but Leaf said she was going to. He knew he could trust Leaf, but having two people help him would be even better.

"Ash, I have a present for you. This is the pokedex. It can tell you the information of any pokemon in Kanto. There is an updated version called the National Pokedex, but I only give it to people who do something that I think makes them worthy of having it. I want you to have it and try to fill it for me will you?" Oak asked him with one of his 'Oak smiles' on his face.

Ash thought about it. His one dream that he wants to accomplish before dying is to win the Indigo League, but helping Professor Oak could be like a sidequest for him. Ash nodded his head as he took the pokedex from Oak and placed it in his pants' pocket. Oak then grabbed a trainer's belt and five pokeballs.

"Here you go Ash. Consider this a 'Happy Birthday' present since the pokedex is your 'Congratulations on starting your journey' present," Oak told him as he handed the items to Ash who grabbed them and put them on. Ash then grabbed Charmander's pokeball and smirked as he saw the flame emblem on it. Right before he returned Charmander he remembered his pokedex.

"Ah that's right. Might as well scan you Charmander," Ash said as he grabbed his pokedex and scanned Charmander. **"Charmander, the Lizard Pokemon. "The flame on its tail indicates Charmander's life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly. This Charmander is female and at level 5. It currently knows the moves Scratch and Growl. It also has the ability to learn the egg move, Dragon Pulse thanks to having a Kingdra for a mom." **the Pokedex told Ash.

"Wow! Charmander you're awesome!" Ash told Charmander making her blush as she buried her face into his chest as he hugged her making him chuckle. Ash soon returned Charmander and placed her pokeball on his belt. He then bowed to Oak and ran home to see his mom off.

Ash smiled as he patted Charmander's pokeball while running back to his house. As he rounded the corner that led to his house, he felt his chest begin to burn in pain causing him to fall to the ground. Unfortunately, as he fell, his hand hit Charmander's pokeball bringing her out. Charmander appeared in front of him in a happy position only to be confused as there was no fight. She turned around and saw Ash beginning to cough up huge amounts of blood. "Char!" Charmander yelled as she ran to his side. She tried to get him to stand up, but he wouldn't budge.

"Char *cough!* Charmander. That's my house *cough**cough* Get my mom," Ash said before falling onto his back and staring up at the sky with blood running out of his mouth. Charmander quickly ran in the direction of his house.

"Of course *cough* This happens to me when my *cough* journey begins," Ash mumbles as he loses consciousness. The last thing he sees is a large majestic bird flying over head. He grabs his pokedex and scans the pokemon with shaking arms.

**"Unknown pokemon. Not from Kanto so unable to give you information on the pokemon,"** the pokedex told Ash. Ash smiled before finally losing consciousness and his pokedex falling next to him.

"I wonder where Ash is," Delia mumbled to herself as she sat on the couch waiting for Ash to return. As she sat there, the door flew open and a Charmander ran in.

"Char!" it yelled to her causing her to jump up in shock. She looked at the Charmander in confusion and waited to see if it was going to do something to her. After a moment passed, the Charmander ran up to her and grabbed her dress and began pulling at her.

"You want me to come with you?" Delia asked and the Charmander nodded to her and ran out the door. Delia followed Charmander going as fast as she can to keep up with the surprisingly fast Charmander. She finally stopped running as the Charmander also stopped. Delia took a moment to recover her breath before looking over at what the Charmander wanted her to see and gasped.

"Ash!" Delia yelled as she ran over to him and began shaking him, but didn't get a response. Charmander also began shaking him with tears in her eyes. Delia started to cry before looking over at Charmander and asking her to get Oak to come here so they can get Ash to the hospital. Charmander nodded and ran off to Professor Oak's lab.

"Don't worry Ash, we'll get you feeling better," Delia told him while hugging his head to her stomach.

**AN That's the end of the first chapter. Don't worry it will be longer. Anyway this is an idea I had a few days ago. So this is a fic about a sick Ash. Okay, I know some people will find Ash getting a Red Gyarados unfair since he's new to the whole pokemon trainer thing, but don't worry. He won't use Gyarados for a fight unless it's against Team Rocket or until at least the third gym.**

**So to be clear, Ash is predicted to only live until he's eleven. I still don't know how to end this fic so please don't ask if something will happen that will allow him to live because I don't know yet.**

**Anyway, I want to hear what you all want the Ash pairing to be. It can be an Ash/Human or Ash/Pokemon or Ash/Harem. Just give me ideas so please name the person.**  
><strong>The only person who can't be paired with Ash is Misty who won't be traveling with him unless a lot of people want her to. Even if she does end up traveling with him, I don't want the fic pairing to be Pokeshipping because that pairing is so popular and while I also love that pairing, it's too common and I want something more unique.<strong>

**So please tell me what you want the Ash pairing to be, give me ideas for that as well as pokemon for Ash to catch. They can be Kanto or foreign.**


	2. Chapter 2

I am very happy that so many people like this fic so far. Anyway I know people do not like that Ash is only ten and I am planning to pair him with someone, but I have seen multiple anime, manga, game, and cartoons with kids that are 10-12 who like and or start a relationship with someone. So anyway, lets start the chapter!  
>I don't own Pokemon or any Pokedex information. Nintendo does.<p>

Chapter 2

All Ash could see was darkness. "W-Where am I?" Ash asked as he looked around before taking a step forward only to yell as he fell. He felt himself fall until finally he hit the hard, hard...ground? Ash sat up and rubbed his back in pain as he looked around, but he didn't see any ground or floor under him, only more darkness.

Suddenly, a wind hit Ash sending him backwards before two lights appeared in front of him. He squinted his eyes as the lights were too bright, but when his vision cut through the light he was able to see Charmander in the first light and Gyarados in the second light. Ash was confused by this. Why was he being shown the two closest pokemon that were in his life?

Ash moved closer to the lights only to be stopped by a loud voice making him jump in shock. "Ash! Sweety wake up!" Ash looked up with wide eyes. This voice...was this his mom?

"Ash my boy. Wake up. You're journey...don't you want to start it?" Ash looked over and smiled. This voice...it sounded like Professor Oak's. Ash sat on the ground and began thinking about where he was. The whole area was nothing, but darkness especially since the two lights went away. He can hear his mom's and Prof. Oak's voices coming from out of nowhere. Ash sighed as he fell backwards and lied there thinking.

"Wait...is this my mind? Why is it so dark?" he mumbled to himself as he stood up and began walking around to try and see if there was anything else in his mind only to feel a sharp tug on his back which made his own vision get even darker.

"I-I'm...waking up?" he asked as he slowly fell unconscious.

_Hospital Room_

Ash slowly opened his eyes and the first thing that came into his field of view was the white roof of the room he was in. The next thing he saw as he began scanning as much of the area as he could was Charmander who was sitting in a chair next to his bed sleeping. Obviously, she was very worried about him which made him smile. He then saw his mom who had a hold of his right hand and was currently crying her eyes out. This made his chest hurt as he felt really guilty for causing her to worry so much.

Ash then looked over and saw Prof. Oak who was looking at him with a worried expression. Ash felt even guiltier now since he even caused Oak to be worried.

"I'm awake mom," Ash forced out of his mouth even though his throat felt so dry just breathing. Delia snapped up and looked at him with tears in her eyes before hugging him. Ash snuggled his face into her chest as she hugged him harder. Delia pulled back as she sat next to him on his bed and held him to her side with her hand. Charmander, who had woken up during this, jumped on the bed and snuggled into his chest with tears coming out of her eyes like Delia. Ash used as much strength as he could to hug her to his chest.

"Ash, how are you feeling?" Oak asked him with concern in his voice. Ash just looked at him and said, "My throat hurts. My body hurts. But...I'm mostly feeling disappointed because I ruined Charmander's and mine 's journey beginning." Ash hugged Charmander to him tighter while she just hugged him back.

Oak just smiled sadly before ruffling Ash's hair. "Don't worry Ash my boy. As soon as you're better you can head out on your journey," Oak told Ash who smiled back at him. Suddenly, Ash found his vision obstructed by Delia's bust causing Charmander to hold onto Ash's shirt so she wouldn't fall off him.

"I am not letting my baby go on a dangerous journey by himself! Especially after what happened today! He wasn't even out of Pallet Town yet. If Charmander hadn't been quicker he could have died! Besides! This is my baby's last year and I want to be with him as much as possible!" Delia yelled while crying hysterically. Oak just frowned at her words. He sighed as he opened his mouth to talk, but found himself cut off by Ash who decided to finally speak to his mom.

"Mom...I know I only have a year left, but I have a dream. A dream to win the Indigo League and my only chance to do so is this year. I want to go on this journey with Charmander and prove ourselves to everybody. I am going to miss you just as much as you are going to miss me and I would love to spend this year with you too mom, but I want this journey. Please do not keep me from starting it," Ash said as he looked up into his mom's eyes. Delia looked at him with hard eyes before they began to soften.

"But...you'll be alone Ash," Delia said as she tried one more time to keep her son with her. Professor Oak decided to step in here and finally speak.

"Delia, you're son will not be by himself on his journey as you seem to be forgetting. Charmander will be with him and any other pokemon that he might catch will be with him as well," Oak told Delia with a smile on his face. Delia sighed as she looked down at Ash one more time before hugging him to her chest again muffling any protest that he might have.

"Fine you can go, but you're here for one week. I plan on being here with you the whole time," Delia told Ash who just nodded while trying to pry her off of him. Charmander cheered happily as she snuggled into Ash's chest again. Ash, who had finally gotten free from his mom's grip, hugged Charmander tightly.

Professor Oak smiled as he began walking to the door to head back to the laboratory, but not before telling Ash that his pokedex, trainer's belt, pokeballs, and hat was on the table near the window in Ash's hospital room. Ash thanked him and got settled in a comfortable position so he could take a nap. Charmander decided to rest next to Ash, but made sure her tail was hanging off the side of the bed so she wouldn't burn him. Delia smiled as she walked over to the chair next to the bed and folded it out into a bed.

"Night mom, Charmander," Ash told the two who responded with a 'Night Ash/Char.' Ash closed his eyes with a smile plastered on his face. He couldn't wait until the week ended.

_Week Later_

Ash smiled at his mom and Prof. Oak as he stood at the exit of Pallet Town. The week flew by and before Ash knew it, he was ready to leave the hospital and start the journey that he didn't get to a week ago. Charmander was currently resting in her pokeball on Ash's pokebelt. Ash hugged Delia and shook Oak's hand before turning around and running off into Route one. Delia just turned to Oak and hugged him while crying. Oak just smiled as he patted Delia's back and watched Ash disappear into the route.

Ash waved at the Spearow flock who just nodded at him, he waved at the Pidgeys and Pidgeottos who cawed back at him, he waved at the Rattatas who ran around happy to see him, and he finally saw the location that he was aiming for, the river.

Ash ran over to the river and grabbed Charmander's pokeball. "Come on out Charmander!" Ash yelled as he called Charmander out. Charmander appeared and looked around expecting a fight, but all she saw was a river. She turned to Ash and jumped into his arms. Ash just chuckled as he rubbed her head.

"Charmander. I want to introduce you to an old friend of mine," Ash told her as he placed her on the ground in front of him. Ash walked up to the river and yelled, "Gyarados!" The name caused Charmander to pause before walking over to Ash. Ash smiled down at her before standing there and waiting.

Suddenly, a huge, red serpent shot out of the river with a loud roar. "Rahhhh!" Gyarados yelled while her scales gleamed from the sunlight hitting them. Ash smiled at this not realizing that Charmander was trembling in fear behind him. Gyarados looked down at him and smiled as she pulled her long body out of the water and wrapped around him, nuzzling her head against his body.

Charmander, terrified as much as she was, felt jealousy rise in her chest at the sight of this. Charmander stomped over to Gyarados and began complaining, but Gyarados ignored her as she was too busy nuzzling up against Ash.

"Hehe, Gyarados. I'm happy to see you too," Ash said as he rubbed her cheek. Charmander finally got fed up and hit Gyarados in the side with a Scratch attack. Even though Gyarados was a much higher level than Charmander, she still felt it and got ticked off. She looked away from Ash and roared at Charmander making Charmander freeze in fear. Ash saw this and chuckled before getting free from Gyarados's grip and walked over to Charmander.

"Now now Gyarados, Charmander is my starter pokemon. While I'm not sure why she scratched you, she is my partner and part of my family. She will also be a part of your family too when you join my team," Ash said happily as he picked the now trembling Charmander up in his arms. Gyarados roared happily again before looking around for a pokeball. Ash grabbed one of his empty pokeballs and tapped Gyarados's cheek with it. Ash watched as Gyarados was sucked into the pokeball. He smiled before turning around.

"Okay Charmander, lets start our journey!" Ash yelled happily, not noticing that Charmander had finally passed out as she succumbed to the fear she experienced from Gyarados roaring at her.

Ash returned Charmander to her pokeball and began to run down route one to try and arrive at Viridian City before sundown. Ash smiled at all the pokemon in the forest as he passed them. "I'll catch a pokemon in the next route, I just want to reach the city first so I can check into a room and get some supplies with the money mom gave me," he mumbled to himself as he kept running.

Sadly, he was unable to reach the exit so he stopped next to the river and brought Gyarados and Charmander. Charmander jumped in his lap while Gyarados wrapped around Ash who sat there happily. "You know Gyarados, I might as well scan you while I'm sitting here," Ash said as he pulled the pokedex out of his pocket and scanned her.

"**Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokemon. Rarely seen in the wild. Huge and vicious, it is capable of destroying entire cities in a rage. This Gyarados is female, shiny, and at level 25. It currently knows the moves Thrash, Bite, Dragon Rage, and Tackle," **the pokedex said. Ash smiled widely as he hugged her side.

"You're amazing Gyarados!" Ash yelled happily making Gyarados blush slightly and look away. Charmander just grumbled under her breath at this and snuggled into Ash's chest. Ash smiled as he patted her head and laid on Gyarados's side before dozing off along with Charmander and Gyarados.

AN Sorry that this is the end of the chapter, but I felt this was a good stopping point for this chapter. Okay the polls from the previous chapter is still up and all new votes will count unless you have already voted and you vote for the same thing again.

The Polls: What pokemon do you want Ash to catch?  
>What should be the pairing? AshHuman, Ash/Pokemon, or Ash/Harem (give me the name of who you want in the pairing)

Once again, I'm sorry to those who don't want Ash to have a pairing, but he will have one. Okay before there are any assumptions, Charmander and Gyarados are just showing affection for Ash right now, they aren't in love with Ash. That could change considering what pairing is wanted the most by you all, but right now they aren't in love with him.

The story will pick up next chapter, count on it. :D I shall see you all next chapter!  
>Once again, I don't own Pokemon or pokedex entries. Nintendo does.<p> 


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